Battle to the Death
by dabri-wolf
Summary: ...the first dance,masked love..how much is to be lost....moonlit nights,chances stolen..this is how much victory cost... sakuraXsyaoran
1. Chapter 1

heii guys!! third storii up...yay!!  
please review...

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_title: __Battle to the Death_

_author: __dabri-wolf_

_pairing: __sakuraXsyaoran  
_

_Chapter I:_

It was clearly going to be a battle to the death as she fought the black dragon. Honey-brown hair whipping against her face as she ducked and dodged the blows that the dragon reined on her. Her light pink fighting garment swayed with her movements as she, once again, crouched low to the ground to avoid a deadly sweep the dragon aimed for her head. It spread its wings and started to take off but a sword suddenly cut into its massive left wing.

"Stand back!" the sword-bearer yelled at her, his green garments moving to his movements, swaying with his sword.

"No, you might get hurt too!" she screamed back as the dragon made a lunge at him. He quickly, gracefully dodged and sent his sword into the dragon's stomach.

"Run!" he yelled, trying to dodge the dragon's angry blows.

"I will not leave you here by yourself," she retorted, gracefully ducking and swerving to avoid being savaged by the agitated black beast.

The dragon roared as once again, a sword cut through the metallic scales of its underbelly. Making another lunge at the cloaked and masked male, it successfully created a deep cut, blood slowly dripping from the wound. He ignored the pain and quickly went to retrieve his sword.

"Wait! You're hurt," she yelled at him as she ran forward.

"No. I said run and don't you dare take another step further," he yelled as he realised that she was coming closer to him. Closer to danger.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

She didn't pay him any heed as she ran towards the fight, sword held out beside her. The black dragon, did not acknowledge her as its focus was still on the male. She saw her chance as the dragon still had its blood red eyes elsewhere, and took a leap at the dragon's underbelly. Her sword, now held firmly in front of her, plunged into the black scales that were stained red with blood. Sliding under the massive body, she twisted the sword while thrusting it in deep into the thick skin of the beast. The dragon roared as pain shot through its body. Focusing its blood red eyes on her, it swiped its hooked claws at her. With her attention elsewhere, she turned around only to see sharp, deadly claws coming towards her face in a deadly sweep. She stood there, a deer in headlights, not able to move so close to death. Death was about to hit her and she couldn't move. Not even her feet. After countless fights, after many near-death experiences, this was what would kill her. A simple lapse of concentration…

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

The claws of the dragon were about to hit her when suddenly she was knocked to the ground. The sudden move had left her out of breath and unconscious. The masked sword-bearer fell onto the ground next to her, blood seeping out of his fighting garments and revealed skin was stained red. Shortly after, the massive, black dragon fell forwards onto the cold ground in a little way off from their bodies. The metallic scaled chest moved once then never again. They had killed it.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

She woke later, opening her eyes and seeing the first ray of dawn. She looked next to her and found the brown-haired male, still lying on the ground, unmoving.

"Hey hero, wake up," she whispered, staring at the dried blood on his body. "We made it. The dragon is dead."

She gently shook him.

He didn't stir.

She put her ear to his heart.

There was no response.

There was no beat.

He had died…

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	2. Chapter 2

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_She woke later, opening her eyes and seeing the first ray of dawn_

_She woke later, opening her eyes and seeing the first ray of dawn. She looked next to her and found the brown-haired male, still lying on the ground, unmoving._

_"Hey hero, wake up," she whispered, staring at the dried blood on his body. "We made it. The dragon is dead."_

_She gently shook him._

_He didn't stir._

_She put her ear to his heart._

_There was no response._

_There was no beat._

_He had died…_

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_Chapter II_

She shook hard with the sobs that raked her body. Her hair covered her eyes as the dam broke and the river was yet to dry up.

All he ever did, all he ever said came back as fragments of her broken memories.

Her hero had died.

The world crashed down on her.

In that short time whilst they were fighting, side-by-side, she felt as though she had known him for a long time. His concern for her filled her heart with joy, but it filled her eyes with tears.

Because of her, he was killed.

Because she didn't react fast enough,

He died.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Looking at his face, she realised that he looked somewhat familiar. The untamed, amber coloured hair, the sturdy jaw. But a green mask, matching his garments covered half of his face.

Reaching slowly to his face, she traced the contours of the mask before gingerly gripping her fingertips around the edge. She took his mask off, carefully, slowly. A breath caught in her throat.

"Oh no."

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She whispered, tears developing once again in the corner of her eyes. She knew she had seen him before, like a dream that seemed to linger in the back of her mind.

But she never thought it was true.

That it was him here.

Her prince.

He was her prince. The one that had captured her heart, the thief that would never give it back. She clasped his cold hands within hers, resting them on top of his broad chest. She raised one to her face, kissing the ice-cold palm and held it against her cheek.

She couldn't believe it.

That it was him that had saved her.

After all she had done, being friends but enemies at the same time. Princess and prince of rivalling kingdoms. He had told her, that he was a prince, long after they had met. She remembered her first dance with him one the floor of the grand ballroom…

()()()()()()Flashback()()()()()()()()()()

She had been persuaded to agree to this little outing for she had been 'worn out', as her maid had said, by the war with neighbouring kingdoms over a magic stone. She reluctantly let one of her assisting maid lead her out of her chair and onto the ballroom floor. Her pink dress fluttered with every soft breeze and graceful step she took. She made her way through the ballroom, past the other dancers that moved in synchronisation with the swell of the orchestral music. All the dancers and those who lingered on the side, chatting amongst each other, had elegant masks on. These matched the more so elegance of the dresses and formal wear that the present company had on. In this ball, everybody wore a mask and only those that wished, revealed their names. But at this particular moment, there seemed no partners available to dance with, though.

"No, I can't dance with someone that I don't know, after all. And I wonder where the magic stone has gone…hold it and wondrous powers are yours to command, it is said. My country has been fighting over its neighbours for a long time over it." She sighed, bowing her head in regret. "If only there were no such thing as war. And the Magic Stone that causes war is better off gone than in someone's hands."

"Indeed," someone spoke up behind her.

The princess turned swiftly to find a young man, about the same age, facing her. He had a handsome green mask hiding his face to match his attire.

"I agree."

"May I ask who you are?"

"The etiquette here is to not ask for identities," he reminded her, gesturing to her own pink mask.

"That's right. This is my first time attending a masked ball."

"Mine as well."

"Oh?"

"I've forgotten how to dance with every day being so busy," he confessed, amber eyes glowing under the flush of the lights. "My attendants brought me here tonight, as I tend to lock myself up."

"Myself as well," came the stunned response.

He smiled, a breath-taking smile.

"Hating war, first ball…we have much in common."

"Yes, indeed," she responded, a smile lighting up her face.

He extended his arm with a slight bow.

"Will you give me the pleasure of a dance with you?"

She looked on stunned, gasping softly.

"But dancing is not something that I-"

"I am no good either," he whispered, softly as so no one would hear, when he saw her discomfiture.

"I am sure to step on your feet."

"Then I shall do my best to dodge yours."

She could resist no longer, and she placed her hand on his arm and allowed him to lead her back to the middle of the ballroom floor. The other dancers retreated slightly, giving the couple more space. In solitude, the pair began to dance to the music. Worried about clumsiness aside, the pair floated gracefully across the marbled floor, the princess' dress floating like a pink cloud around her legs, eyes framed by masks, unable to look anywhere but at each other…

()()()()()()()End Flashback()()()()()()()()()

It was dangerous, she knew, to have relationships with enemy kingdoms – especially when a war was going on. She didn't mind though. She was told to follow her heart, and she had done just that. But now look where that had led her.

She looked down towards the peaceful face of the prince. Her hand moved his from her cheek to above her heart.

To the death of the one she held most dearest.

That is where it had led her.

To the death of the one she loved.

()()()()()()()Flashback()()()()()()()()()

"Please don't cry a smile suits you better princess. But I cannot keep these feelings in forever."

Amber eyes met Emerald.

"I-I…I love you!"

Emerald eyes filled up with tears.

'No,' she thought, 'it cannot be.'

Her heart was beating so fast; it felt like her chest was about to explode. 'But it's wrong. We cannot keep this forever. Our kingdoms are enemies. We would be living a lie. I cannot do this. Even for love.

"I am unable to respond to your feelings," she cried out loud, hurt lacing her voice and cutting deep into her heart.

"Do you hate me?" Amber eyes looked into hers, hurt, pained.

'No, never,' she thought, her heart sobbing quietly. She shook her head. Silence filled the space between them. The moon shone brightly over their heads but neither was looking at its beauty. Amber eyes only focused on the one in front of him. She, looking face down, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes as she tried to hold them back, unsuccessfully.

"Princess, I-"

She interrupted him by jumping up and kneeling beside him, a hand on his.

"No. Please forget about me. Please remove me from your heart," her eyes begged, imploring him whilst sadness dwelled there. While he was still shocked, she got up, turned and ran. Shocked, pained and remorseful eyes stared after her retreating back. She ran as fast as she could away from him, brushing the droplets away from her eyes.

'I cannot forget, I will not. I will still always love her…'

As much as she tried she knew she would never forget him. How his eyes looked when she had begged him. So hurt, so empty.

'I cannot forget…because I love him…'

A trail of sparkling droplets flew behind her as she ran. There was no will left to stop them anymore. Let them flow. Let the pain overwhelm…

()()()()()()()End Flashback()()()()()()()()()

"Why?" she cried out, clutching his hand in her tightly. She had lost him, lost the battle most important. "Why did you die protecting me? There is no happiness for me if you are not here."

She cried out, heart wrenching sobs raking her body, pain filling the empty void of her heart. This wasn't how it was supposed to end like.

He should have never been here.

It was all wrong.

He wasn't supposed to die.

Her eyes filled up with tears as her heart shattered and broke into a deep void of nothing.

"In the end I didn't tell you how I feel," she whispered to her hero's body, as if life was still breathing in him.

"How I truly feel…"

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'...please do not cry, a smile suits you better...'

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……owari……

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this one was meant to be for English as wel.

Oopps.

Inspiration from the movie. Yuu kno tha play that sakura and syaoran did 2gether.

Yea wel, some scenes are taken from there.i changd dem a bit thou.

.review.

.arigatou.

.muacch.


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